Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has suspended all political officeholders in the state.
The directive applies to the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, chairmen, and members of boards, agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals. Also affected are all special advisers, special assistants, and senior special assistants.
This was stated in a statement released by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator on Wednesday, ordering the affected officials to hand over their responsibilities to the highest-ranking civil servants in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies.
Where a permanent secretary is unavailable, the directive instructs the most senior director or head of administration to assume leadership.
The statement further noted that the suspension takes immediate effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
The latest mass suspension follows an earlier directive instructing all 23 local government councils in Rivers State to submit comprehensive reports on their activities, staffing, and sources of revenue.
That order, contained in a leaked memo, was issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Dame Dr. Itong Awani.
The memo, titled “Submission of Report of the Activities of Your Councils,” mandated all Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to submit detailed reports by March 26, 2025.
The document required the councils to provide a breakdown of their functions, number of staff on payroll, revenue sources, ongoing and completed projects in the past two years, as well as their achievements, challenges, and recommendations.
The urgency of the directive raised concerns among political analysts, who interpreted it as part of a broader scheme by the federal government to tighten its grip on the state’s political and financial structures.
Rivers State has been at the centre of a long-standing political feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former ally, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The dispute, which started as a tussle over political appointments and control of state resources, escalated into an open confrontation when lawmakers loyal to Wike attempted to remove Fubara from office.
Despite a peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in late 2023, tensions persisted.
The conflict reached its peak a few weeks ago when the Tinubu government declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing security concerns.
The controversial decision effectively stripped Fubara of his executive powers, leading to the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator of the state.
The latest purge of political appointees further signals a growing federal takeover of Rivers State, an oil-rich region with vast economic resources.
Analysts believe that beyond political reorganisation, the moves may be aimed at securing full federal control over the state’s finances.
